The Hollow Bastion Show House
by Yu207
Summary: Under the yellow gaze of Cherished Cat, the Hollow Bastion Show House breathed daringly. He didn't care about the consequences. He had an intuition... And she was the right one. At Traverse Town's cold glare and Organization XIII's spreading power, was it to childish to fall in love? [Sora x Kairi]
1. Chapter 1

**The Hollow Bastion Show House**

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_.The beginning._

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He could say everything started with that bottle of whisky.

Whisky wasn't his favorite drink. Its strong smell actually reminded him of his childhood, along with the sway of the ship and a lot of noise from numerous senseless people. He could easily associate the drink to dirty floors, bearded moaning men, and an annoying screaming dad... So, honestly speaking, whisky hadn't really been accompanied by pleasant memories or good ideas to him.

Except for that one.

Looking back then, that was probably the only one good idea he had had during all of their inebriated nights. Riku didn't think so at that time, though. And he could accurately record the ciano eyes of his best friend who, despite the dizziness of uncountable amounts of alcoholic drinks, was still able to offer him the most sincere expression of incredulity.

"When I think it isn't possible, you can still impress me with the most idiotic ideas of Traverse Town".

They were at old Cid's bar, known for its coziness and cheap drinks, sitting at the wooden table in their usual spot. It had the perfect strategic distance to the entrance door, in case any bar fights would take place, and to the bathroom, for they still had very functional kidneys. Two glasses rested tiredly on the surface: they had been filled and carelessly emptied too many times for their own good that night.

"C'mon, Riku", he had drunkly bent his head back, making his beret fall on the dark floor as he raised a finger to make a point. "New experiences, great moments and beautiful ladies await for us! Where's your adventurous side? Have the cold waters of this island finally frozen your ambitions?"

"Don't say that so loudly, someone from the church may hear you" Riku retorted with exaggerated precaution and looked at both sides before straightening up, "I'm sorry, Sora, I am usually very tolerant to your ideas, but this is too much. And I know you don't believe in it, but what you're proposing may lead your destiny directly to the red flames of hell, specially because I'm sure you won't pay for your sins".

"Oh, you're one to tell" Sora raised an eyebrow without suppressing a small laughter. "You could have built the entire Traverse Town main church with your debt, along with that stupid bell. And I sincerely don't believe I can buy my way to heaven, so there's really no point to pay for my sins every month of the year" and then a slight grimace "I just pay a symbolic fee so Aerith won't look at me with teary eyes, hoping her everyday prayer may save her little brother from post-mortem suffering".

"Your sister is too good for you" Riku shook his head and asked for another bottle of whisky before turning back to him "She would die of worry if she found out what you've just suggested me".

"She's always known I don't belong to this superstitious city, Riku" the brunet replied casually, shooing his words with his hand like they were noisy bugs "Look, I say we go. And I don't care about your opinion. I'll arrange everything, just leave it to me. You with me?".

"Foolish" the older young man busied himself at swirling his glass lazily, watching as the ice cubes would collide like stupid tiny animals, before offering Sora a critical look as he realized he was serious.

A sigh.

"I don't think life's quite that simple, Sora".

"Whisky, sir?"

"Sure" Sora frowned at his best friend, "I'd say that's your problem, Riku, you think too much" and then he turned his recently refilled glass down his throat, letting a satisfied whistle escape his lips. "we need to know more about the world, Riku, routine is like a poison that kills you slowly. Don't you want to see rare sights? Broaden your horizons? To be strong? You'll see. One day, you're gonna thank me for this".

"You sound just like Tidus with those questions. And I'll never thank you for your drunk breath on my face, Sora", the young man then brushed his platinum bangs from his eyes, smiling annoyingly "Ah, I think you're just really interested in the ladies".

"That's not it" Sora cut in hastily and a sudden idea caught him, for he subtly got occupied at searching for something in his pocket. Riku busied himself at serving another alcohol round. A victorious exclamation left Sora's lips two seconds later. He had his sweet prized possession in hands: a small black leathered notebook.

"Found it. So it's a plan, Riku! And you do know that these pages hold magical powers. I bought it from Pete, made by Merlin's own hands. Once written on these yellow pages, things will inevitably happen".

"Pete is the stupidest person I know, I can't believe you bought it from him. And you realize I didn't agree to it, right?"

"Don't be annoying. And you will, it's just a matter of time".

"I still think this is about women".

"Shut up".

"So you're in?"

"No".

"Okay, so it's settled! You won't regret it. Great doing business with you, Riku".

Riku made him pay the bill that night, but it was worth it, he supposed, for there he was now.

His arms rested leisurely on the back of the bench and he was just barely conscious of the cold wind that played with his incurably rebellious hair and of the sky that was already painted of a dark shade of blue. His azure eyes targeted the contour of Traverse Town's toneless buildings, which simply returned his stare with a bored yawn. That city hadn't changed its expression since he had first laid feet on those grey floors, so many years ago. Still a child, he remembered his old man's wise words:

"Cities are just like women, Sora. Don't get attached to the appearances or the luxury it may try to seduce you with. They're just illusions, tricks they are proud to play. What you should focus on is your intuition. Pay attention to that feeling that runs through your skin when your eyes meet at the first time. Intuition doesn't deceive you. Trust it".

A small smile curved his mouth and the young man played distractedly with two red tickets between his fingers. He could feel drops of anxiety flood through his brain, but purposefully decided to ignore it and play it cool. What he was about to do could be considered his greatest sin and, if he were a more devoted person, he would probably spend the rest of his life paying taxes for his choices.

Riku wouldn't need to bother about that. He could simply make his way down to underworld.

His vivid blue orbs ran through the grumbly and slightly busy streets. He suddenly felt it was a stupid choice for a meeting place. Too common, too exposed. He should have picked the Second District. Uncertainty began to stretch its devilish arms to his neck and he found himself anxiously scanning the corners in search for an angel that would save his life or a demon that would turn him into a madman. No sign of life. Then, realizing his own foolishness, he inhaled his hopes and let out a long breath. He had to trust. For a moment, he thought of Aerith, autumn scent and butterfly smile. It made him feel better. Superstition or truth, it didn't really matter. What he needed to believe was in something bigger than that island and himself and, if everything was meant to go wrong, he would pay for his sins, one by one, and be freed from destiny's grasp.

Feeling more confident, he closed his eyes and chose to laugh at himself and his insecurities as he shook his head softly, feeling that a cloud of lead had dissipated from his shoulders. He resolved that he would just admire the starry sky and wait.

Sometimes waiting was good enough.

Coincidentally, just as he began to relax, a mass of silver hair appeared at his peripheral vision. He raised his eyebrows as the tuxedo figure got nearer and Sora couldn't help but let a small laughter brush through his throat.

"You look nice, Riku" he said, now smiling openly.

"What with that face? Thought I wouldn't come?"

"Of course not" Sora patted his pocket "After all, it's on the notebook".

His companion's light eyes glanced at the streets furtively, and then turned back to him.

"It's time already. She is really not coming, right?".

Sora winced at that statement. He had already foreseen that. But he couldn't help the pain in his chest, like a needle craved very deep into his heart. He forced a smile to come. He had to believe in something bigger...

"Nope. That's just the two of us. You ready?".

"Ready".

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Hello, guys!

This is my first chaptered fic, I hope you enjoy it! This story has been on my mind for years, literally. I've always wanted to do write something with complexity and drama for KH and this is my first attempt to do so!

English is not my native language, so I kindly asked Breaking Barriers to help me with revision! Thank you very much!

Kisses,

Sayu.


	2. Chapter 2

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**The Hollow Bastion Show House**

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_Chapter One_

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_The Hollow Bastion Show House_

Rumours said Hollow Bastion was hidden by dark magic and that Merlin himself had once gotten lost by the illusions of the show house. Others would speculate at secretive bar conversations that Hollow Bastion was created by Hades centuries ago as a curse to humankind. There were even those who believed Hollow Bastion never existed, perduring only as Traverse Town's famous myth.

Fact was that Hollow Bastion was very much existent, breathing silently on the entrails of Fourth District. Condemned by the religious population, the show house was considered a haunted and forbidden place. Whoever talked about it should pay double for their monthly sin, and those who actually visited it shouldn't even bother to step again in a church. It was a place of luxury, desires and perdition, where wealthy men would lose their munny and, the less fortunate, their heads.

He knew it now, though, that Hollow Bastion had very little to do with sinful matters. On the contrary, it was more like a cultural festival, where the unexpected and the unreal took place through music, dance and theatre. It defied truth and, most of all, it would bring questions. Because Hollow Bastion was so daring and honestly problematic to church's politics and mostly economy, Leon, the owner, took every measure to guarantee its safety and confidentiality. It was like a vow of silence would hover between the clients, so no outsider would know its location or activities. The network of consumers was made through personal invitation and one could only join the night if provided with tickets and secret password.

Surprisingly enough, he had only been to Hollow Bastion once and he was already a VIP client, honored by Leon himself.

It all started with wine, a slap, and some guy named Roxas.

That was also the story of how he met her.

But let's start from the beginning.

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"You weren't kidding when you said it was a hidden place, huh, TIdus".

They were heading to Hollow Bastion. The famous, mythical Hollow Bastion.

For forty minutes now.

"This is the last turn" Tidus stated through a steady breath, motioning for the other two young men to follow him.

Sora could swear they had been through that street minutes ago. There were so many dark sinuous alleys and secret entrances that it wouldn't impress him if lots of clients did never reach Hollow Bastion. He even had doubts concerning his own capacity to redo that route by himself, and he was considered a good oriented person.

His feet were starting to hurt. He hated those stupid social shoes and he was already feeling suffocated by his tie.

Argh. Why was he doing that again?

Oh, yeah. Tidus.

Tidus' laidback and friendly personality was the window for their friendship years ago, when they met at a Blitzball game. Their bond became stronger when Sora helped the blond by convincing old Scrooge McDuck to offer him a job as an attendant at the item shop "Huey Dewey Louie", where Sora worked as accountant at First District. From that time on, Sora obtained TIdus everlasting trust and willingness.

He remembered very clearly the day before when Tidus got into the item shop with the ugliest dark circles under his eyes Sora had ever seen. He tripped twice over his feet on his way to the counter and actually had to be supported by young Huey to the nearest chair because he couldn't stay still. He was lucky uncle Scrooge had left one hour earlier to pick some package at the mail post office.

"God, Tidus, what happened to you? You look terrible!", Huey quacked, looking with concern at the attendant.

Tidus sighed.

"Huey, my dear friend, I'm lost, so lost. I can't stop thinking of her".

"Her?" Sora questioned, approaching the duo with a glass of water he gently offered the blond "Who's the girl?"

"Green or blue? I can't say. Maybe it's both", Tidus shook his head like an elephant disturbed by mosquitos "You've got to meet her, Sora. You must see her. I couldn't sleep at all last night, my mind wouldn't rest. I need to see her again".

"He sounds stoned" Huey stated in a worried tone.

"He'll be fine, he just really need some sleep. C'mon, Tidus, take a nap. Huey, can cover your shift this morning".

"It won't work. Her face won't leave my mind. I've got to get back there tomorrow night" and then his friend suddenly widened his eyes "I know, Sora! You go with me. This is it, Sora. Call someone else if you want to, we're going tomorrow. You've got to be there at least once in your life".

"Ok, so maybe he is stoned".

"No, Sora!" Tidus then pulled him by the arm and started whispering "_I'm talking about Hollow Bastion. Do you understand me? It is true, Sora, it really exists. And it will change you forever if you let it". _

"That's just a rumour, Tidus, now get some sleep."

"I'll prove to you. Come with me, Sora! Don't you want to see rare sights? Broaden your horizons? To be strong? It's just like the name says, Sora. You get there as a hollow bastion and, if you are open to it, you may get out of there full of new visions, beliefs and desires. Invite Riku as well, Leon is an old friend of mine, I'll get you in with no trouble. You have nothing to lose and I'll show you it's true".

So that was how they ended up there, tired and panting, walking at Traverse Town's dark streets for precisely - Sora took a look at his pocket watch - forty five minutes.

Riku was already glaring. The show better be good, otherwise he would have to deal with moody grumbling Riku for the rest of the night and probably the entire week.

To his relief, Tidus fast pace suddenly ceased with a satisfied sigh.

"We're here" he announced.

Sora rolled his eyes at the place, confused. Riku made a weird noise with his throat while arching one eyebrow. They were standing in front of a dull, almost falling apart door and, as Tidus offered them his biggest smile, Sora couldn't help but feel quite disappointed.

"So this is it?" Riku folded his arms, frowning slightly. Sora could see annoyance start to grow like poisonous smoke through Riku's ears.

"Yes" Tidus said matter of factly "This is where our night begins! And quit those faces, gentleman, don't judge a book by its cover. Now, let's do a small concentration here. Remember this is a place of knowledge and wisdom. I know you may get lost with the spectacle and of course, women, but just have in mind that it can change your life, ok?".

It was hard to believe in all that when they were facing that depressed looking door.

"Now, be prepared. Tonight's password is 'Donald Duck'. Just watch and learn. Next time, 'cause I'm sure there will be one, you can do it yourself".

Tidus gave them one last _pay attention _look that didn't really match his smile and then turned to the door and knocked it three times while saying "Cherished cat".

What happened next made Sora choke with his own saliva and Riku defensively take a step back. Now they were beginning to understand what Tidus meant by his whole speech. A thin smoke suddenly materialized and it fluttered playfully for a while before one disturbingly smiling purple cat appeared right at their heads' height, stretching like a spring. It purred weirdly before laying its dancing yellow eyes at Tidus.

"What the hell is this?" Riku muttered, startled "It came out of nowhere!".

"Maybe they are right after all, this place is filled with dark magic", Sora whispered back.

"Here are the tickets" Tidus said in a clear tone, ignoring his companions' comments, and took three small pieces of paper from his pocket "The password is Donald Duck".

The cat suddenly looked bored. It was expecting some fool lost boys to play, and unfortunately that wasn't the case. Swinging its tail like a broken clock, the cat lazily opened its jaw and TIdus placed the tickets in it. It swallowed them abruptly. A weird popping sound echoed through the alley and the door was unlocked.

"Enjoy the night" the cat muttered almost unwillingly, disappearing the next second.

"C'mon" Tidus opened the door, signaling for the other two to go first. Riku was still frozen at his spot, staring at the powder the cat left after vanishing, and Sora had his eyeballs almost coming out of its sockets.

Tidus waited patiently.

"Was that really black magic?" Riku finally managed to question, turning his ciano eyes to the blond.

"Nah, you shouldn't worry about it. The Cherished Cat is just a weird creature from Leon's staff that takes care of the tickets. Leon says it's annoying, but harmless. Now let's go, shall we?".

The platinum haired man looked hesitant about Tidus' explanation, but Sora took a step forward, feeling suddenly very energetic. That cat was just the beginning of the night and it had already mesmerized him. Curiosity started to fill his lungs, running like oxygen through his veins: what else was there to see? What was that door hiding?

Without much other option, Riku let out a grumble and followed the brunet.

Darkness filled their vision when Tidus shut the door behind them and, for a moment, Sora thought he had gone blind. Still, he could sense the expectancy smell in the scent of smoke and lady perfume, so dense he could feel it brush through his hair. Small sounds tiptoed in the air: the rustling of legs being crossed, tinkling of wine being served and clicking of coats being taken off.

"Great, we got here just in time!" he heard Tidus whisper excitedly as he began guiding them blindly with a slight push at their backs,"Careful, watch your head, Sora! Our seats are... Right here".

"What seats?" Riku retorted, obviously annoyed that he couldn't see anything.

They heard a discrete sound of chairs being pulled and Tidus amusedly muttered: "Just sit now, gentleman". Sora suddenly found himself relaxing at a very comfy chair, and his eyes chose that moment to finally adapt to the lack of light, when grey figures began to gain form. Hats, tables and curtains appeared in front of him, one by one, like the development of a photograph. They were all facing a huge stage.

A drumming sound abruptly rumbled through the room, making some of the audience jump in their seats.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another big night at The Hollow Bastion! We'll make you wait no longer. Let's start the show!".

Enthusiastic clapping filled the room and the big main curtains were opened. A filet of light invaded the stage timidly. Violins began to vibrate, and Sora unconsciously held his breath.

The spotlight was now entirely formed, illuminating an enormous pearl shell.

It unsealed slowly. The image of a beautiful woman was finally revealed, for a moment making the audience gasp with her vibrant red hair and delicate features. Her lips were curved in a small smile. Other artists began to appear as the light spread through the stage: stars, fishes, lobsters, seaweeds and women like the red haired one, dressed with seashell tops and fish tail, moved softly, almost hypnotically.

Sora was speechless.

"What are they?" he managed to mutter after a while, "I've never seen something like this before".

"They're called mermaids", Tidus whispered back "Don't worry, you'll get to know more about them soon. The main one is Ariel. Great voice. They say the show was actually based on her real life".

"Wow".

They fell in silence again, for the orchestra was now playing fully and the stage was completely lighted with bright colors. The show was finally beginning... And he should be paying attention to the stage, to how Ariel moved gracefully when she walked out the shell, to the amazing singing of the other mermaids or even to the funny looking lobster that followed the redhead with grumpy lines. He should be laughing with the audience when the fish and the lobster initiated a discussion, and clapping when Triton appeared powerfully, or maybe he should at least be impressed with the agility of those mermaids while dancing in perfect synchrony.

But he wasn't.

Because he was suddenly caught by blue eyes like his own, staring straight at him.

Months after that episode, he still wouldn't be able to explain how or why he was driven to it. It was one of those mysterious fate actions, when, in the middle of thousands of other stimuli, there's one, a special, distinguished one that catches your eyes.

He looked at that blue for one week or one second, he couldn't tell.

And then, as abruptly as it came, it went away, with the calling of a bearded man that demanded more wine and the light slap of his friend on his arm.

"Sora, are you paying attention? It's the girl I told you about, she just got on the stage!"

"Sure", he mumbled automatically.

But he was still looking at her, and the red messy hair carelessly tied in a bun, and the white waitress apron contrasted with the black dress. He even caught himself wondering about her name, what it would sound like, if it matched the blue he had just gotten lost into, or if she would remain nameless to him and be forgotten along with so many memories.

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At the other side of the salon, said redhead took a long breath as she returned to the kitchen in order to take another bottle of wine and clean glasses. For some odd reason, she felt short of air and dizzy headed.

"So?" a female voice questioned next to her with anxiety tones "Is he here again, Kai?".

Kairi ran a livid hand through her face before turning to her friend. Naminé had her arms folded in nervousness, and she immediately felt bad for the blonde.

"I think I saw him", she replied softly, "Are you sure you want me to do it, Nami?"

The girl simply offered her a weak nod.

"Just take him to the abandoned dressing room, he can leave from there, and be careful so Leon won't see you".

"...Okay".

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Truth to be told: he honestly didn't have the time nor the patience to deal with that right now. He had extremely important issues to worry about: managing the show house, preventing it from being discovered and, most importantly, Xigbar. Thinking about the last topic made him instantly clench his teeth. That's why...

"...for Zeus' sake, Tidus, you shouldn't be here. Go back to your table and let me do my job!".

Leon's statement was synchronically accompanied by euphoric applauses at the other side of the curtains, informing him the show had just ended... And his old friend didn't even flinch at his manners. Quite the contrary, the attendant of the item shop opened a bright and wine altered smile, much to Leon's unfortunateness.

"Leon, that's what I like about you. You're so passionate about what you do and you do it with all your heart! That's very honorable" Tidus said emotionally "And you can still find time to talk to lousy friends as myself! I promise I'll return everything you've done to me, Leon... But, before that happens, I still have one thing to ask you" he made a dramatic pause before pointing a finger to Leon's face, almost poking him in the eye "You'll be my cupido! Please, Leon, help me, I didn't sleep at all, ask Sora, all you have to do is to introduce me to her!".

"Tidus-"

"Please! I'll do anything. I'll pay extra for every bottle of wine. I'll come back every weekend!"

"Ti-"

"I'll do everything that's in my reach, Leon, I swear I will! I'll clean the floor, I'll wash the dishes, I'll fix the broken tables, I'll pull the curtains, just for you, because you're an old dear friend, do you know that? Your friendship has always been very important to me, man, you're one of a kind, seriously. You know what, I can even perform! My mom has always said I'm a very talented-"

Leon held his head for sanity. He couldn't take that anymore. He was a very busy man and busy people shouldn't deal with drunk irritating old friends.

"Okay!" he said at last "Okay, you win! I'll figure out something. Meet Yuna at the vacant dressing room. Just... be _decent! _And don't come back here!".

Tidus couldn't help the excited screech that escaped his throat. He held Leon's hands with his own and would have kissed it multiple times hadn't the older man retreated it from his grasp.

"Leon, thank you, you really are a good friend! I won't disappoint you! Now I'll just tell Sora, he won't believe I've made it!"

Tidus didn't wait for an answer to suddenly turn away and run back to his table. His steps were just like those of a newborn goat, clumsy and unbalanced, and he bumped into a waitress and almost brought down a bottle of champagne on his way. Nevertheless, the smile he was wearing when he got to his friend was triumphal.

"Sora, I made it! I'm meeting her!".

"Oh, I see, so mermaids really have no difficulties to breathe underwater, fascinating... And those musics were fantastic! What was that instrument you talked about called again?" .

"Oh, it's drums".

"Exactly, drums, who'd say something like that could exist in the world? I'm used to old Traverse Town's church music, always the same saddening piano notes..."

"Sora, look at me, I've made it!"

Drunk Tidus didn't have the regulation to be ignored. Lacking any space comprehension, the blond made a movement to give his friend a light slap on the shoulder, but ended up punching him unmercilessly on the head. One vehement "ouch" escaped the brunet's lips and he automatically placed a hand on the injuried spot.

"What on earth-"

"Sora, I've made it!" he repeated the third time that night, interrupting his friend's protest with a smile that would make anybody's cheeks hurt for weeks. It didn't even fade a bit when he turned to the waitress Sora was talking to, making a quick movement of the hand "I'm sorry, miss, but now it's my turn to talk to the gentleman here, ok? Now, if you'll excuse us" he smiled again to the brunet as the waitress went away with a indignant look "Leon got me to meet her! Isn't it fantastic?"

But Sora didn't return such joy to the "Huey, Dewey and Louie" attendant. He was, after all, having a very pleasant conversation with that girl before being rudely interrupted by the blond. Instead of offering him colorful congratulations, he actually wrinkled his nose, throwing a critical look at the male.

"Tidus, I can practically see alcohol exhaling through your body. You can't go like this, she'll despise you forever!"

"No one can despise me, I'm incredible!", Tidus retorted with a hint of indignation "Don't be jealous, Sora. I need you to help me! Does my tie look okay? How's my shirt?"

Sora raised his eyebrows. The tie was obviously the last of the blond's problem at that moment.

"When are you meeting her?"

"Now".

"Ugh".

"What do you mean by 'ugh'?" Tidus tone of voice was now one of whom was severely hurt "I was expecting a slightly more positive reaction from you!".

Oh, no, he recognized that look and that annoying, loud and sensitive behavior. It was Tidus drunk mode level three.

"Oh, okay, sorry. You're right" Sora let out a sigh. Level 3 wasn't worth a discussion. His eyes ran quickly through the salon. Where was Riku? The platinum haired man always seemed to vanish when situations like that took place "Right, let's go then. At least let me take you to her. Which is the meeting point?".

"It's the abandoned dressing room" TIdus announced proudly "It was Leon himself who presented me to the inner part of the house show. I must really be a dear friend to him. I'm truly special".

"Sure, you certainly are".

Sora couldn't help but take a deep mental breath. Tidus was a very fun and loyal friend, but he was a complete idiot when it came to alcohol intake. He prefered not to interfere while the blond led the way, moving like a weird human jelly between the tables. It didn't take long for them to cross a large door at the left, which lead directly to the backstage.

"Can we really get in?" Sora muttered.

He could see huddled cabinets through narrowed doors, just as well as costumes left carelessly at the corners and hungry artists searching for food and beer. Tidus walked naturally, as if already used to the movement.

"Of course! Leon gave me his personal permission. We are almost there... It's somewhere around here... got it!".

Tidus stopped abruptly in front of a wooden, waisted door, and Sora almost ran into his friend's back. Through the small crack, he could see a small light timidly stretching through the space. He couldn't help but appreciate the scene. Something about it felt mysterious and inciting, just as a cover of a beautiful book that invites the reader to be part of the narrative.

Tidus didn't seem to notice it, though. Instead, the attendant turned to him and grabbed him firmly by the shoulders. His face seemed weirdly pale, as if suddenly caught by a wave of fever.

"Sora, I don't feel good".

"Come on, Tidus, you're fine. It's just a small talk. Pretend you're going to meet an old friend".

"No friend of mine's got that beauty. Or those eyes. Or those curves" the blond paused for a second "Oh. Sorry. You're good looking, man".

"...You didn't offend me. And don't think too much. Do you know how you're gonna start this conversation?"

"Leon was in charge of making up an excuse so she would meet me".

"Right. Then... be brave. Deep breath. I'll open the door, ok?"

Sora didn't wait for an answer to do as he'd said. Subtly, he understood Tidus' sleepless nights and neurotic fascination.

The door creaked on its hinges and a face of beautiful features turned to them in a mixture of curiosity and serenity.

"Oh, Leon told me you would come soon. You're the apprentice of doctor Skellington, am I right?".

She was speaking directly towards him, referring to the weird doctor of the city, Skellington Jack, who also used to prestige the show house's nights. He didn't process the question properly, though. Sora was too occupied admiring the short chestnut hair that fell delicately over her shoulders and those big – blue ou green? - eyes filled with genuine interest.

She was amazing.

At his back, Tidus couldn't take it anymore.

"Sora, I'm not feeling well".

A thud on the floor signaled the blond had fallen on his knees and, for a moment, it seemed that he would pour his lunch's contents on the wooden floor of the dressing room. That was the consequence of mixing good doses of whiskey with a bottle of wine in an empty stomach. Sora got out of his trance with the startled exclamation of the girl. Tidus was holding his waist just as he squeezed his face like an orange.

"Oh, my! Is he okay?", she asked, getting up from the dressing table with a worried expression "He can lay on the bed, no one is using it".

"He just drank too much" Sora managed to respond, hurrying to place his friend's arm over his shoulders. To his surprise, the young lady moved quickly to his side and helped him carry the male to the bed. Tidus mumbled something incoherent when they positioned him over the red sheets "I'm sorry for the trouble. My name is Sora and this is my friend, Tidus".

"Oh, it's a pleasure meeting you, despite the circumstances. I'm Yuna" she smiled lightly, although still offering a concerned look to the blond "You don't have to worry, really, it's not the first time this room is used to accommodate one of Leon's friends who abused a bit on drinks. Do you think I should get anything? Water?"

She was very gentle and willing. Sora wrinkled his forehead, impressed. People like her were very rare at Traverse Town.

"Well, thanks, but I know Tidus, he'll be sleeping like a baby in a matter of seconds".

"Oh, I see".

A curtain of silence fell between them. Just at that moment, Sora got to observe more clearly the room: there was a dressing table at the right with a gigantic mirror, a small stool where Yuna was sitting minutes ago, the bed occupied by Tidus, a large and very old-looking wardrobe that spit hangers from its doors, and a wide window, from which the night light bathed the floor with a veil of white lace.

The young lady straightened uncomfortably. They ended up sitting awkwardly at the bottom of the bed. Noticing her movement, Sora decided it was a good time to break the ice:

"So you're an actress, right? I saw you on the stage".

"Oh, yes", she replied, relieved with the attempt of a conversation "Like many girls from here, I've grown in Hollow Bastion, and it's practically all I've got... I don't like calling much attention, so Leon always let me take secondary parts. He's very kind to us".

"I don't actually know him, but I've only heard good things about him so far" Sora smiled.

"So you're not Leon's friend who works with Skellington?", she questioned, now a bit alarmed "Leon asked me to come here so a friend of his could check a sunburn of mine..."

"Tidus and I work at 'Huey, Dewey and Louie" Sora intervened hastily. The last thing he wanted was for her to think they were maniacs chasing for actresses at the backstage (even though his friend could be classified as one) "It's an item shop, so we actually sell medicine such as potions. Leon didn't talk to me, but to Tidus, so I guess he must have thought we could indicate some item for your injury".

"Oh, that makes sense" the actress nodded her head, looking calmer "So, could you take a look? It's nothing serious, but it's very bothersome, specially due to the costumes..."

"Sure, I'll see what I can do".

He wasn't sure he could suggest a solution whatsoever. He was the accountant, after all, and he dealt specifically with munny. But now Yuna had already gotten up, so he didn't have much choice but to accompany her. The girl turned her back to him and pulled her hair up, making a cloud of floral scent spread through the air. For a second, Sora felt sorry for Tidus: his friend would be dying to be in his place. She indicated a red mark on her nape and he got closer to take a better look.

"Can you see it's still red? Silly me, I spent the whole afternoon under the sun and when I realized it, it was too late. It's small, but I'll appreciate if you can think of something to ease the pain or maybe heal it faster. Do you have any suggestions-"

Her soft voice was subtly interrupted by numerous events that took place at the same time. Days after that, Sora still wouldn't be certain about what happened first, because he didn't hear the door open with a rumble, nor did he notice the angry steps that were made at his direction. He only realized something was wrong when a small, yet strong hand grabbed him by the arm and threw him against the wardrobe.

At some moment in the future, said hand would repeat that exact movement, only in a much different context.

He remotely processed Yuna's scared scream at some point at the back, and the next thing he felt was a very sharp slap on his cheek, followed by a cold liquid that hit him straight on the face.

"You're unbelievable, Roxas!" a feminine voice roared, so furious it struck him like a punch "First Naminé, now you're making a move on Yuna? You're loathful!"

The smell was evident: it was wine that ran down his neck, painting his shirt with bloody red. It took him a while to finally be able to open his eyes. The throbbing of five nitid fingers on his cheek and the taste of alcohol blurred his senses for a second. Slowly, he got to assimilate the contours of the dressing room.

And there it was again. The blue. The same blue he had seen hours ago, the blue of one weekend or one second. The red hair cascaded loosely around her face and she still had her hand in the air, ready to strike another blow. Her other palm was busy holding a glass she had just emptied on him. It was obvious from Yuna's face that such reaction was not expected from the waitress.  
His face was burning llike hell. ****

And he was subtly very interested.

"Hm... Kai?", Yuna's words at last echoed through the place, covered by apprehensiveness "I think you got it wrong... This isn't Roxas, although they do look similar. His name is Sora".

It was like someone had stopped time. He was securing his face idiotically. Yuna still had her hair pulled back. And the owner of those blue eyes blinked several times.

And then it finally hit the redhead's face.

First, confusion.

Then, doubt.

Finally, realization.

She unconsciously covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oh my god", was the whisper "You're not Roxas".

Sora didn't outline any expression, still trying to assimilate the latest events, and the girl looked suddenly as white as a sheet. To make the scene even more chaotic, the door opened for the third time that night. Heavy steps filled the room like drums and anyone who knew better could easily recognize whose shoes had appeared through the doorstep.

Breathless Leon had just stormed in.

"What the hell is happening, I heard screams from the corridor!", he demanded, running over his words.

His grey eyes absorbed the image at one glance. Yuna was standing, holding her breath. Tidus was snoring peacefully at the bed. Sora was still reclined at the wardrobe, wine covered and slapped faced. And Kairi was containing a scream from escaping through her fingers.

One second for sinking the situation.

Another second to actually get disturbed by it.

And then Kairi's voice were back after an eternity.

"Leon... I think I made a mistake".

The older man looked blankly at the scene.

One more pause.

"... You obviously got some explanationing to do".

.:.

****He admitted he didn't sleep that night.****

Something had awakened in him, shaking through his ribs like a uneasy small animal. Curiosity was filling his muscles, an unsettling sensation started dripping in his blood. It was the same feeling he got when he held a book for the first time...

Something had changed that night.

And he knew he had gotten interested.

.:.

So that was how his first visit to Hollow Bastion went like. Surprisingly enough, he had only been to Hollow Bastion once and he was already a VIP client, honored by Leon himself.

It all started with wine, a slap and some guy named Roxas.

That was also the story of how he met her.

And that was were it all began.

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Hello, guys!

So this is the beginning of HB, I hope you like it...! I really love SK couple, I can't wait to start developing their relationship!

English isn't my native english, but I promise I'm trying to right it correctly! Feel free anyway to send me feedbacks about it or the fic!

Reviews?

Thanks you!

Sayuu


	3. Chapter 3

**Hollow Bastion Show House**

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_I've been having these weird thoughts lately..._

_Like... Is any of this for real?_

_… Or not?_

_"Riku! I knew I'd find you snoozing down here. You're not doing your reading homework! And I'm tired already, Geppetto won't stop talking about his whale story..."._

_"I wasn't snoozing" the silver haired boy squeezed his ciano eyes like two slices of lemon at his friend "Just thinking..."._

_"What is it?", Sora got down the stairs to sit next to the older boy by the shore. _

_The sun was just disappearing at the horizon. _

_"You said you are not from here, Sora... So what was it like in your hometown? Like where you grew up?"_

_"I told you before, I don't remember"._

_"Nothing at all?"_

_"Nothing", the brunet sighed deeply "I only remember my dad's ship. That's where I grew up!". _

_"And you said you didn't pray there"._

_"I don't pray still"._

_"But that's wrong!", the older boy yelled suddenly, making his companion jump on his seat and cover his ears instantly "You're going to hell if you keep like that"._

_"I don't understand why you keep saying that", Sora looked at him twice before being sure his friend wouldn't shout again and putting his hands down "My dad didn't pray. I don't pray. And I was told many times I wasn't a good boy, but it was never because I wasn't praying...". _

_"We're doing wrong things", Riku interrupted, looking troubled " We shouldn't read those books. They're forbidden!"._

_"Riku, you're so weird"._

_"Don't you worry about hell?"._

_The blue eyed boy paused for a moment, placing a finger on his chin._

_"I don't know... But I know I'm not doing anything wrong!"._

_"How do you know that?"_

_"Because, If I were, Santa wouldn't get me Christmas presents"._

_Riku rolled his eyes._

_"Santa doesn't exist, Sora!"._

_"How do you know that?", the smaller boy retorted, offended "So hell doesn't exist either!"._

_"You're being stupid..."_

_"At least my Santa is better than your hell... Hell doesn't give you presents. And doesn't have a soft beard!". _

_"What does the beard have to do with it?"_

_"It's getting dark!", Sora got up abruptly, startling his friend "I'm going back, Geppetto is waiting for me. Are you coming?"_

_"Not now", the boy's aquamarine eyes turned back to the now navy sky "I still have some things to think of" ._

_"Don't stay too much in the dark, it may swallow you up", Sora's voice called from some distance. He was already running back to the library. _

_Riku didn't respond, still busy trying to organize his thoughts on his head._

_"Does hell really exist?", he mumbled softly, "There's so much I don't know..."._

_The boy buried his face on his knees, frustrated._

_The stars shone silently above him, unwilling to tell him his answers._

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_Chapter Two_

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"Long time no see, Riku. Hello, Sora".

A warm light bathed the counter as the two young men closed the door behind them. Sunday was a special day for the city, reserved for prayer dedication and god honoring. To Sora and Riku, it meant "day off".

The sky was very clear at the other side of the window and there was almost no movement on First District, aside from a few flower sellers and loud Pinocchio running up and down the front stairs. The chilly air couldn't bother them inside Geppetto's library.

The old man smiled lightly at the duo.

"I'm glad to see you, Riku. Sora's been the only one bothering me lately... Well, you were never too fond of these old books, now, were you?", Geppetto twitched his nose, brushing his words with his mustache "Unfortunately I can't spare much time with you, boys, I've got a lot of work to do. Anyway, I suppose you know where to go, right?".

"Last shelf to the left" Sora responded promptly with a smile "Don't worry about us, Geppetto. Pretend we've never been here".

"I've tried to do that during your whole childhood, son. Didn't work! Well, feel free and discreet to explore my shelves. Now, if you'll excuse me".

Sora laughed and shook his head at the old man.

Geppetto was the owner of a very old library at First District. Nowadays, almost no living soul knew about it, as the old man left his life as librarian to make a living through woodworking. At Traverse Town's past, books from other cities and cultures had been confiscated and burnt in order to protect and establish the current religion. Luckily, Geppetto managed to keep his prized collections away from the inspectors by hiding them inside his wooden statues.

Geppetto was an old friend of Sora's father, "brothers from the sea", as they used to call themselves. Only god knew what adventures they had shared at the ocean. When Sora was still a kid, Geppetto used to repeat unstoppably how they had once gotten swallowed by a whale.

"Yeah, right, Geppetto..."

"I'm dead serious, young boy!".

Still, he respected the old sailor very much. The woodcarver was, after all, the man who taught him how to read and write.

Since then, he had been interested at Geppetto's library. Reading pagan books was maybe the first illegal practice he'd engaged with when still a child. He grew used to the creaking floor and dusty atmosphere, and the smell of old yellow pages reminded him of the fear of being found and the excitement of the prohibited. He had spent many hours at that place, travelling through Arabian worlds and China wars.

"But I've never heard of mermaids", he whispered to Riku as they walked to a very fragile looking shelf "My father was a sailor and I've never heard of them".

"That Hollow Bastion show really got into you, huh?", his silver haired friend replied quite disinterestedly.

"I think it was amazing", Sora clicked his tongue, "Here. 'Creatures of the ocean', by Jiminy Cricket. Must have something about them, right?".

"Absolutely. And we can probably lose our jobs if you say his name any louder...".

"Don't worry, no one else is here. Jiminy Cricket... Great anthropologist. He visited countless places and made very detailed records. Doesn't it intrigue you, Riku? To think that there's so much more beyond this city?".

They were now at the reading section. Sora pulled a chair next to the window and Riku chose to recline on the wall, folding his arms. The silver haired man opened his mouth, but hesitated for a second. Then, he simply shrugged his resistance off and commented:

"You know what, Sora? I've always wondered why we're here on this island. If there are any other 'worlds' out there, why did we end up on this one? And suppose there are other 'worlds'... then ours is just a little piece of something much greater".

The brunet offered him a small interested look from the book. The older youth continued.

"When we were still little brats, Geppetto said Traverse Town used to be a very open city, sailors filled the bars and it was common to see people from other countries wandering through the streets. His words were surreal to me back then. Nowadays, it's almost impossible to think there's life outside Traverse Town... I grew up with the thought that there's only one truth about the world: we have to get a decent life through work and prayer, there's hell and heaven and we've got to pay for our sins monthly. The thought that there's something beyond this is almost like saying the world isn't square".

"My old man always thought the world is actually round" the item shop accountant stopped scrolling through the pages to give his friend a small smile "Ok, not the point. We've talked about it many times already, haven't we? I agree with you and I do believe there's much more out there. That's why that show was so amazing to me... It was like a mind opener. Mermaids, drums, what else do we not know?".

"So" the ciano eyes turned to him curiously "You're going back there today".

"Yup. I'm a VIP client, after all".

Riku smirked at that.

"Blabbering all that bullshit about wanting to know the world... And you could have just admitted you want to go back there to see that girl again. I knew it was always about women".

Sora laughed. He wasn't a person of secrets and he also couldn't have done much to hide his wine covered shirt from his best friend.

Truth was that he was very, very interested in that girl. And he wanted to see her again.

But it was not exactly on his friend's terms.

"Well, she's not an ordinary girl. She threw wine at me. And slapped me on the face. Very hard".

"I'm already a fan of hers", Riku laughed at his friend's grimace before taking a glance to his pocket watch "Damn! Lunch time already, I better get going. You're gonna stay here?".

"Just a bit longer", Sora shook the book he was holding with his left hand "I've got some research to do".

Riku simply shrugged at that. Sora knew his friend was long used to his almost pathological curiosity concerning pretty much everything in that library. Taking a last look at his watch, the silver haired man offered the accountant one significant nod before patting him on the shoulder and disappearing through the corridors.

Sora waited patiently until his friend's steps were completely silenced.

He waited a bit longer.

"Ok, he's gone", Geppetto's voice suddenly echoed between the shelves.

Sora smiled lightly.

That old man was eavesdropping their whole conversation, he was sure.

With the smoothness of a feline, Geppetto had silently moved to his table. He wondered how many times the librarian had to slide through those floors in order to hide some uncovered book from church's sight.

As he expected, a hint of excitement was evident on the aged voice:

"So... Let me be punctual on this. We both know why you're here..." a small breath "...Did you find her?".

The brunet ran a hand through his hair - old habit, he couldn't help it - and let out a breath he'd been holding for a while.

"Geppetto", he said slowly.

"...I've got an intuition".

His words were taken with the strength of a bullet and the old man almost choked with his own saliva.

"An intuition?", his whispered "An intuition?" and then he threw his arms in the air "Oh my, thank you, Zeus, you were owning me some luck after blessing me with a wooden child! Do you realize how long it takes me to put that kid to sleep? Thank the Olympus gods! An intuition!".

Sora couldn't help a laughter to brush his lips.

"You know I could still be wrong, right?".

Geppetto ignored him.

An intuition!

He was ecstatic!

Sora's intuition never failed. There was some sailor's investigative genetics running at his veins after all. Sora's father had great instincts to cities: one look at the buildings and he could tell the history, the myths and secrets hidden beneath the concrete. While the sailor was impeccable at reading places, Sora developed the amazing ability of reading people.

Selphie made some great miracle at Cid`s bar, Yuffie was the best at the restaurant and even old Scrooge admitted hiring Tidus was a good thing for the item shop. All of those choices were suggested by Sora. He didn't know how the boy did that, but he remembered that, since childhood, Sora was very sociable and truthfully caring about people.

He was the big hearted kind of person.

...And his understanding nature came out to be quite handy at selecting people for jobs.

You see, Pinnochio was consuming an incredible amount of his time. Single parenting was never an easy task, specially when your kid is made of wood. So, as hard as it was to admit, Geppetto knew he couldn't manage his books anymore.

That's why he needed someone to take care of his old, rare and illegal library.

And, by consequence, why he needed Sora.

"So, you found someone to my library!", he squeaked quite emotionally "These are great news, Sora! You know how these books are important to me... They are my whole journey through the seas, they are my life! Thank you! When can a I meet your selected person?".

"Actually", Sora then scratched sheepishly the bridge of his nose "I've never really talked to the girl... But she was one of my biggest intuitions so far. I just felt it".

That didn't shake the old man's hope. In fact, Geppetto felt refreshed and very enthusiastic.

"That's no problem, Sora! Just go and talk to her!", he exclaimed, joyfully, patting Sora's shoulder for emphasis "I'm trusting you, boy! I'm sure you can do it!

"In fact, I think you should talk to her today!".

This is enough for the sequel of this story.

Although Geppetto had said that innocently in the middle of an ecstatic moment, Sora really had the intentions of meeting her that night.

And, independently of the illegal nature of that practice, he actually wanted to see her again.

There were many good things about Sora, but following rules was surely not one of them. One defining quality of the brunet was that he did things on his own and, truly, he did what he felt like doing regardless of anything else.

His father wasn't a man of good decisions, but he did nail it when choosing his son's name.

Sora. Vast blue skies. Easy going, refreshing and, overall, free.

He had already planned it. He had the tickets. He had the password.

He was definitely going to Hollow Bastion that night.

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"You don't look joyful, Leon".

Typical stupid observation from Auron. The scarred man raised his eyes from the pile of documents and watched silently as the older man dragged his heavy steps through the office to stop at Leon's infamous red chair. Many of the members of Hollow Bastion would shiver with the perspective of sitting on that place, for nothing good usually came from having a private reunion with the stern manager. Auron, though, was a different case. He was Leon's faithful right hand and probably the only person in that city that had the liberty to joke with Leon and be the one laughing.

The manager looked tiredly at his favorite mug over the table.

"I need coffee. And another manager for this show house".

"I warned you doing illegal things could be bothersome", Auron shrugged "So you're worried about munny. Is that why you invested on the Under the Sea spectacle? I'm sure semi nude mermaids were more interesting to the audience than Stitch in his red space clothing".

"It's been getting harder to keep Hollow Bastion out of church's sight" a sigh from the scarred man "I had to put Cherished Cat to work at the entrance, but it licked half of the clients off. Naminé broke three bottles of wine last week, Demix stole a forth one and Kairi slapped a new client on the face".

"If you had created a bohemian strip bar like I suggested four years ago, none of these situations would be a problem to you now. Instead, you chose to make a cultural, open minder boring show house".

A grey colored glare.

"...Thanks, Auron. . Anyway, the band's show is going to start anytime now. I hope Demyx kills it at the stage with that annoying guitar of his. Kairi will be the host for the VIP clients".

"Well, she must be hating you at this very moment then. No one wants to spend the night serving old, filthily rich drunk men... I'm not sure that was your wisest idea. That redhead will end up beating one of them again for sure".

"She's got to deal with it. I can't afford to lose new clients because of her bad temper".

"Oh, so that was your punishment for her bad behavior. Still acting like a big brother".

A slight vein popping on the manager's forehead and Auron knew he gotten to him.

"Shut up, Auron. I'm not paying you for this", the scarred man drummed his fingers on the table "Okay. So let's cut this. If you came here, it's because you've got some new information" .

It was very impressive how the climate could change so bluntly in a matter of seconds. It seemed someone had casted a dark spell on the room.

Leon automatically straightened on his chair as Auron took a photograph from his sleeve.

The man gave him a significant look.

"You wanted to know more about Xigbar, that freaky eyepatched guy that's threatening your reign. He already made you three generous offers to buy Hollow Bastion from you and he's obviously not very gleeful with your bad mannered refusals. Well, it seems he's more than just a spoiled rich brat. Take a look".

Leon arched an eyebrow before lowering his eyes to the picture.

"Who am I looking at?".

"Pence. Young photographer, one of Xigbar's latest victims. It seems Xigbar feigned interest on the boy's photograph business and became his investor. Pence used the munny to buy all of his equipments and then Xigbar threatened to denunciate him to the church if he didn't get a large percentage from his profit. You know photographs have been prohibited for twenty years now since the mythical incident in which the soul of an old lady was captured by the lenses. Pence didn't get a happy ending".

"So a criminal is willing to have my show house. Great. What do you think I should do?".

"I'm trying to find out why he's looking after Hollow Bastion. This place doesn't fit his pattern of properties. Xigbar likes to attack small preys, such as family business and starting enterprise. Something is off here", Auron played with his pocket watch before suddenly getting on his feet "It's about time I start making a closer investigation. I should start it at this very moment".

Leon offered him a cautious look.

"Be careful, Auron. If you get any new information, come straight to my office".

"Don't tell me the obvious, Leon. I'll be back in one week".

And with that only, the older man turned his back and walked like a shadow to the door. Auron was always like that, sudden and unpredictable since the first time they met, so many years ago. The manager ran a nervous hand through his mane as he watched the red clothing vanish through the opening.

Little did he know that was the beginning of his nightmare.

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There he was again.

It was the same smell of perfume and curiosity that swelled his ribs, yet the room was smaller, cozier and, of course, richer. There were candles at the top of every table and everything was decorated with red, gold and oak.

So fancy, so beautiful.

He was at the VIP area.

His chair felt like a piece of cotton and he let out a long breath, finally losing his tense shoulders. He'd spent time enough under the cold blow of Traverse Town's night to literally freeze his nose and decorate his hair with white dust, so, naturally, Hollow Bastion felt like warm heaven to him.

A different music rumbled through the air this time: Ariel was singing again, but the show was obviously focused on a talented, yet very lazy looking guitar player. There was only one guest at the room who was truly paying attention to it, though: Jack Skellington, humming the music peacefully along with his pale wife. The guy from the left was too busy with a cigarette he twisted viciously on his fingers, a trio of old men were distractedly chatting about ladies and the man sitting at the back didn't look like he had ever been born with the ability to appreciate anything. Sora himself admitted the show was not the center of his attention at that moment.

The accountant looked absent-mindedly to his watch.

He'd been there for precisely fifteen minutes now.

And, no matter how much his eyes felt like looking at her, he still busied himself at running his hand through his unruly hair and focusing on the stage.

He also had to control himself , but a small laughter still escaped his lips.

She was wearing a stupid wig of platinum tresses. It was stuck between her forehead and her uniform headscarf, making her look like an odd arabian version of Riku. Why would she do such a tasteless choice, he didn't know. No one in the world would pick a silver wig for a night of work. Aside from that, he could still recognize her...

White apron, fair skin and those blue eyes.

There she was. Geppetto's salvation.

His intuition.

She was serving the table from the left, a glass of gym for depressed guy.

He knew that maybe it wasn't the most appropriate moment. He knew he could scare her... But he was honestly unwilling to wait any longer. Sora had great personality traits, but patience wasn't exactly one of them. That was his chance.

He wanted to start it.

"Excuse me, miss, but I'd like a glass of wine, please".

It was as if he'd screamed directly at her tympanos. The girl jumped clumsily , emitted a high pitched squeak and almost choked when her eyes locked with his.

No beautiful first love moment for the story.

Her face paled.

"Crap, it's him".

Sora could tell her words had slipped before she could have stopped herself, for she blushed furiously right after, covering her mouth with one guilty hand. "I'm so sorry, sir. I'll get your drink".

He never saw someone move so fast with a tray in hands. She had literally run away.

She was funny.

And also a very skilled waitress.

It didn't take long for her to return, though, moving her lips to herself as she avoided the chairs in the way. He guessed she had a prepared speech for him in case he'd show up, considering Leon's unhappiness with her bad manner last encounter.

Her hands were trembling when she placed his wine on the table. He could almost touch her embarrassment with his fingers. And, then, after a gulp of courage, she finally directed her voice to him.

"Ok, sir. I know who you are. I'm sorry for humiliating you in front of our staff, making you look like an idiot and dirtying permanently your shirt, sir. I hope you can forgive Hollow Bastion and myself".

What an interesting point of view, he really hadn't thought about the incident that way...

"...Permanently? But that's very grave, miss. I really liked that shirt".

She bit her lips. Very nervously.

"I hope I can redeem to that, sir".

"You know what, miss? You actually can" , Sora took a glance to his VIP's colleagues. They were all already served and he saw a blonde waitress at the back. He could steal some of the girl's time "I've been working on a magic trick for a while now and I haven't tested it yet. Could you be my guinea pig? If it doesn't work, I hope you can keep my failure in secret".

"That's all?" She looked quite confused and a bit relieved with his offer.

"Please, sit" he motioned to the chair in front of him and took a deck of cards out of his pocket. Geppetto had presented him with that small childish deck at his tenth anniversary, yet it was still well preserved. The waitress furrowed her brows before sinking in the cozy seat"I promise it won't be long, miss, it's a very simple trick. I'll place sixteen cards on the table. While I'm preparing it, you can feel comfortable and relax, ok? I guess this is probably the only one good free time you'll be enjoying until the end of the night, for there's only one other waitress to help you out. You can actually take my wine if you want to. Let's just agree that you'll bring me another one after this trick" she unconsciously took the glass of wine "There you go. Can you tell me, miss, which is the savour of this wine?".

She took automatically a small sip.

"Sweet and dry".

"It's a very nice wine then. I wonder how the wine will taste when you take another sip of it... If you'll feel the sweetness first, of the dryness of it. Don't tell me its name. I'll ask you to quickly nod after choosing a card from the table. That's it. Please enjoy the wine, miss. A wine sweet and dry. I'll shuffle the deck and... Now... I''ll place this one single card on the table. Miss, what was the card you chose called?".

"Tarzan".

"You can turn the card".

The waitress distractedly made a movement to turn it.

The image of a messy haired man glared at her.

"I'll ask you to leave the glass and pay full attention to the card now, miss. Look intently to the image. Did I get your chosen card right?".

A small smile lifted the curve of the accountant's lips when the girl widened her eyes, finally realizing what had happened.

"That's my card!", she blinked twice, eyes still at Tarzan "How did you do that?".

She had showed him a very clumsy and embarrassed side of her that night, but he knew she could also be very intense and courageous. She had slapped a stranger for the sake of a friend. She worked at a illegal show house as a waitress. Although she tried to hide it with a wig, he'd seen her red tresses before. There was no natural readhead on Traverse Town and even coloring hair was taken as a bad practice to women. She was also a curious person, but she should be more careful.

Sora smiled openly now. His intuition never failed. He'd gotten her!

"Because I got you distracted with wine and a card trick, miss, now I have a secret of yours in hands", he whispered, approaching his face to hers over the table.

_"You're not from Traverse Town. You work at an illegal show house. And you could read the name Tarzan on the card, when we both know japanese is a pagan language and women were never allowed to access it. Therefore, you are an outline and I can get you in prison tonight"._

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_Hello, guys!_

_I know it took too long for me to post this chapter... But I hope you like it!_

_Please, review!_

_Yu207_


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